Multiobjective Power Plant Siting Methods

The assumptions of three commonly applied siting methods are examined, and prescriptions for proper use given. Exclusionary screening presumes that exclusion criteria cannot be violated. Weighting summation, in contrast, allows tradeoffs to be made. Weight setting should be done carefully, however. Decision analysis considers attitudes towards risk, although probability distributions for siting attributes are rarely specified. Exclusionary screening and Weighting summation choose different candidate areas for nuclear plants in two studies. Two weighting techniques also select different locations. One of the techniques, indifference tradeoff, guarantees valid weights, while the other, rating, does not. Site evaluations by decision analysis and weighting summation generally resemble each other closely, although in one study, the methods pick different sites as best.